Gary Wayne Helman

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department today confirms that Gary Helman, 56, was shot and killed Monday night while bounty hunters were attempting to take him into custody at his mother’s home in Enchanted Hills, Cromwell. (See related)

Court records show Helman was wanted for three failure to appear charges. The first warrant was issued on May 4, 2014, after Helman failed to appear several times on an invasion of privacy Class A misdemeanor charge stemming from 2012. A surety bond in the amount of $25,000 was set for that warrant.

On May 27 and on June 23 of this year, Helman was issued two more warrants for failure to appear. Cash bonds of $500 were set for both warrants.

Helman’s latest brush with the law was on Nov. 27, 2013, when he was taken into custody for three D felony charges including resisting arrest, battery resulting in injury and failure to appear. He posted the $10,000 surety bond and was released to appear for a Dec. 13 hearing, but never showed. That was an action that likely spawned Monday night’s shooting, as bounty hunters sought to take him into custody for jumping bond.

In a press released issued this morning, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department detectives say their preliminary investigations have determined that three individuals, purportedly bounty hunters, had entered onto the property of Helman’s mother at 9174 E. Doswell Dr., Cromwell, last evening shortly before 7 p.m.

The individuals have been identified as Daniel Foster, 43, of LaPorte; Michael C. Thomas, 36, Osceola; and Tadd Martin of Osceola. The bounty hunters were attempting to serve an active felony warrant on Helman for failure to appear issued from Kosciusko County.

According to the press release, the three individuals made visual identification of Gary Helman as he stood on the back deck of his mother’s residence. The bounty hunters engaged Helman, and a subsequent gun battle erupted with multiple rounds being fired inside and outside the residence. 

Seriously injured during the exchange of gunfire was Martin, along with Helman’s twin brother, Larry D. Helman, 56. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrived at the scene and located both Martin and Larry Helman on the rear portion of the residence, suffering from individual gunshot wounds. 

Inside the residence, officers located Gary Helman in a rear bedroom, also suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Syracuse/Turkey Creek E.M.S. medics arrived on scene and initiated immediate treatment to Martin and Larry Helman. Both men were transported separately to Parkview Regional Medical Center and Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, in very serious condition. 

Kosciusko County Coroner Michael Wilson was summoned to the scene and pronounced Gary Helman dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

Kosciusko County officials are still currently investigating the shooting incident and have been in constant communication with Kosciusko County Prosecutor Daniel Hampton since last evening.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department officials were assisted with the investigation by officers from the Indiana State Police, Syracuse Police Department and the Kosciusko County Major Crimes Unit.